{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}} {{Use British English|date=September 2014}} {{Infobox bridge |bridge_name = Bigsweir Bridge |native_name = |native_name_lang = |image = Bigsweir Bridge.jpg |image_upright = 1.3 |caption = |carries= |crosses=River Wye |locale=Llandogo, Monmouthshire, Wales |id= |designer = Charles Hollis |design= |material=Cast iron |length={{convert|50.0|m|abbr=on}} |width= |height= |load= |spans = 1 |pierswater = |clearance= |below= |traffic= |begin=1827 |complete=1827 |open= |closed= |toll= |coordinates = {{coord|51.7428 | -2.6697 |region:GB|display=inline,title}} |extra = {{Designation list | embed = yes | designation1 = Grade II* listed building | designation1_offname = Bigsweir Bridge | designation1_type = | designation1_criteria = | designation1_date = 7 March 1988<ref name="BLB"/> | delisted1_date = | designation1_number = 24916 (Cadw); 1186622 (Historic England) | designation2 = | designation2_offname = | designation2_type = | designation2_criteria = | designation2_date = | delisted2_date = | designation2_number = }} }} '''Bigsweir Bridge''' is an 1827 road bridge crossing the River Wye, straddling the boundary between the parish of St. Briavels, Gloucestershire, England, and Llandogo, Monmouthshire, Wales.
==Location== The bridge carries the A466 road, and is located about {{convert|2|mi|km}} north of the village of Llandogo, {{convert|2|mi|km}} south of Whitebrook, and {{convert|3|mi|km}} west of the village of St Briavels. It is the Normal Tidal Limit of the River Wye, and navigation below this point falls under the jurisdiction of the Gloucester Harbour Trustees.
==The bridge== The elegant cast-iron road bridge was built in 1827 as part of the new turnpike road constructed up the lower part of the Wye valley between Chepstow and Monmouth. The bridge connects the English and Welsh sides of the river, with an abandoned but recently restored toll house on the Welsh side.<ref>{{Cite news |newspaper=Monmouthshire Beacon |title=Historic toll house at Bigsweir under restoration |date=22 February 2012 |url=https://www.monmouthshirebeacon.co.uk/article.cfm?id=135&headline=Historic%20toll%20house%20at%20Bigsweir%20under%20restoration&searchyear=2012 |access-date=14 August 2021}}</ref> The bridge comprises a single arch of {{convert|50|m|yd}} , and was designed by Charles Hollis of London and cast at Merthyr Tydfil.<ref name="Crow" >{{Cite book |title=Bridges on the River Wye |first=Alan |last=Crow |publisher=Lapridge Publications |year=1995 |isbn=0-9518589-9-8 |pages=144–145}}</ref> A pair of stone flood arches were added at each end some years later, doubling the length of the bridge.<ref name="Crow" /> Because of its narrow width, modern traffic using the A466 is controlled by traffic signals at either end.
Bigsweir Bridge became a Grade II* listed structure in 1988. In common with many bridges which cross country or county boundaries, it has two listings, the Historic England listing for the English side of the bridge,<ref name="BLB">{{NHLE|num=1186622|desc=Bigsweir Bridge|grade=II*|access-date=14 August 2021}}</ref> and the Cadw listing for the Welsh side.<ref>{{National Historic Assets of Wales|num=24916|desc=Bigsweir Bridge|grade=II*|access-date=14 August 2021}}</ref> The bridge was repaired, strengthened and repainted in 2010–11.<ref>[https://www.ice.org.uk/knowledge-and-resources/case-studies/bigsweir-bridge-repainting "Bigsweir Bridge repainting", Institution of Civil Engineers]. Retrieved 9 August 2017</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-13737489 BBC News, "Bigsweir Bridge on the River Wye restoration complete", 11 June 2011]. Retrieved 9 August 2017</ref>
==Locality== There is no village at Bigsweir. The bridge is about {{convert|600|m|yd}} upstream of the fishing weir and ford of Bigsweir, which is close to Bigsweir House.<ref>[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=23262 British History Online – St Briavels]</ref> According to Sir Joseph Bradney, the weir, one of many of ancient origin on the river, was named after Buddig or Budic, the father of Euddogwy or Oudoceus, a 7th-century Welsh bishop who retired to Llandogo. Recorded early spellings of the name include Bikeswere and Brithekeswere.<ref name="bradney">{{cite book|last=Bradney|first=Sir Joseph|title=A History of Monmouthshire: The Hundred of Trelech|publisher=Mitchell Hughes and Clarke|year=1933|page=212|isbn=1-873361-16-5}}</ref>
Fishing rights at Bigsweir were mentioned in the Domesday Book. By 1331 the rights were held by the monks of Tintern Abbey, some {{convert|4|mi}} downstream of the weir, and there were objections to the abbey raising the level of the weir and so impeding navigation. The rights over the weir transferred to the Earl of Worcester in 1537, later passing to his successors, the Dukes of Beaufort.<ref name=bho>[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/glos/vol5/pp247-271#h3-0006 St. Briavels at British History Online]. Retrieved 11 February 2015</ref>
==Bigsweir House and estate== The Bigsweir estate, on the Gloucestershire side of the weir, was originally part of the lands of the Bishops of Hereford, before the freehold passed to Thomas Catchmay in 1445. It remained the main seat and estate of the Catchmay (or Catchmayde) family for several centuries.<ref name="bradney"/>
Bigsweir House itself was rebuilt around 1740, probably by William Catchmay (d.1743). It is a building of two storeys built of sandstone, with a symmetrical five-bay front.<ref name=bho/><ref name=listed>{{NHLE|num=1123746|desc=Bigsweir House|grade=II|access-date=14 August 2021}}</ref> Additions were made to the house after it passed to James Rooke (d.1805). The estate was enlarged by purchases of woodland, and the house itself was refurbished with rich internal decoration, including panelled rooms and elaborate cornices and architraves. Further extensions were added in the 20th century.<ref>David Verey, ''Gloucestershire: the Vale and the Forest of Dean'', The Buildings of England edited by Nikolaus Pevsner, 2nd ed. (1976) {{ISBN|0-14-071041-8}}, p.334</ref> Bigsweir House is a Grade II listed building, added to the register in 1954.<ref name=listed/> The house was regularly used as a filming location in the Netflix series ''Sex Education''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/19643639.value-sex-education-filming-locations-herefordshire/|first=Hattie|last=Young|title=Revealed: The value of the Sex Education filming locations in Herefordshire|publisher=Hereford Times|date=13 October 2021|access-date=10 October 2023}}</ref>
==See also== *Bigsweir Woods *List of crossings of the River Wye *List of bridges in Wales
==References== {{Commons category|Bigsweir Bridge}} {{Reflist}}
Category:Bridges in Monmouthshire Category:Bridges in Gloucestershire Category:Cast-iron arch bridges in England Category:Cast-iron arch bridges in Wales Category:Grade II* listed bridges in Wales Category:Grade II* listed buildings in Gloucestershire Category:Bridges across the River Wye Category:Former toll bridges in England Category:Former toll bridges in Wales Category:Bridges completed in 1827 Category:Grade II* listed buildings in Monmouthshire